Jockey
Ahh yes, those little individuals perched perilously on a large animal, hoping to get past the winning post in front and avoid the glares of losing punters. Ok, so not all jockeys are small, but they all have to ensure that they can be a given weight when they ride in a race. For example, if a horse carries 9st 3lbs, the jockey must be able to stand on the scales before the race with the saddle, wearing full kit and colours and be that exact weight.
Overweight
This is when a jockey cannot make the specified weight and carries a few extra pounds. Don’t judge them too harshly, they’re probably already several stone under their natural bodyweight.
Colours
The coloured silks worn by the jockey to distinguish each horse. The colours are chosen by and registered to the owner.
Apprentice
An apprentice jockey is a rider under the age of 26 who is attached to a particular stable. They will claim a weight allowance according to the number of winners they have ridden. This allowance (7lbs, 5lbs or 3lbs) is taken off the horse’s allocated weight in a race and acts as an incentive for owners and trainers to use them over more experienced professionals. The allowance is in brackets next to their name in the racecard.
Champion Jockey
The rider who has won the most races in a complete season.